Texas and California battle it out for residents on the move, Census report says

texas transplants

Photo by Joe Daniel Price/Getty Images

Texans love to joke about how many Californians are moving here, but a rising trend in Texas residents' relocation habits may have Californians saying the same thing about Texans soon.

A new U.S. Census report analyzing state-to-state migration has revealed new estimates regarding Texas' growing population in 2022. According to the report, more than 668,000 new residents relocated to Texas from out-of-state last year.

Not surprisingly, the highest number of new Texans hailed from California. More than 102,000 Californians made the move to the Lone Star State in 2022.

But in a fun population twist, California also received the most Texpats in 2022, the report showed, followed closely behind by Florida, then Oklahoma. Of the 494,077 people who left Texas last year, 42,279 went to California.

Why Californians move to Texas
Californians often seek out a lower cost of living by moving to the most "affordable" cities in the state. Dallas has shown to be at the top of the priority destination list after the city usurped Austin as the No. 1 city for California movers earlier this year. And when a California transplant can save more than $1 million by moving to Texas and buying a home in Dallas, it's not hard to see the appeal.

Other reasons for the California-to-Texas exodus include the lack of income tax and the flexibility of remote work opportunities, they say.

While California took the lead with the most new movers flocking to Texas, Floridians are also choosing to pack up and leave their Sunshine State for the Lone Star State, the report says.

The top 5 states with the most residents moving to Texas in 2022 were:

California – 102,442 new residents
Florida – 41,747 new residents
New York – 30,890 new residents
Illinois – 25,272 new residents
Louisiana – 25,192 new residents

Where Texans are moving
The Census report showed that less than half a million Texas residents relocated out-of-state last year, totaling 494,077 people.

"Texas had the country's lowest (11.7 percent) outmigration rate, with most of those who did move relocating to California (42,479) or Florida (38,207)," the report said.

The top 5 states where Texans moved in 2022 were:

California – 42,279 Texans
Florida – 38,207 Texans
Oklahoma – 26,440 Texans
Colorado – 25,466 Texans
Georgia – 23,754 Texans

New Texans from abroad
In addition to state-by-state migration data, the report also provided estimates for how many new Texans came from abroad. Out of 237,051 new residents, the majority – 233,751 people – relocated from outside the mainland last year.

About 2,441 people moved from Puerto Rico, and 859 arrived from unspecified U.S. island areas.

Texas has been a magnet for international homebuyers for several years. The state has held its position as the third hottest U.S. housing market for international homebuyers for the fourth consecutive year in 2023. A total of 9,900 Texas homes were purchased by buyers from outside the U.S last year, spending a gigantic sum of $4.3 billion.

Town of Little Elm, Texas - Government / Facebook

3 Dallas neighbors make list of the buzziest bargain suburbs in the U.S.

List News

Life in Dallas may not be as affordable as it used to. But three cities in the DFW area are still a bargain, according to a new report on "The Top 20 Fastest-Growing Affordable U.S. Suburbs."

DFW suburbs Little Elm and Burleson both made the top 10, while Rockwall came in at No. 20.

The report notes that some suburbs have stagnated, in the wake of a trend of people moving towards more walkable inner cities. But the allure of space and safety is still a lure for many home buyers.

Little Elm, located north of Dallas at the northeast corner of Lewisville Lake, earned the No. 4 spot in the study. Its welcoming lakeside setting, coupled with its low housing prices, make it an attractive place for newcomers.

"Little Elm has more miles of shoreline than any other Dallas suburb, so you might hit up one of its multiple marinas in your spare time or pack snacks and enjoy the July Jubilee, with fireworks over the water," the report said.

Housing prices in the city have remained under the half-million-dollar price tag, averaging at about $429,799. But the report warns that Little Elm's affordability might lose its charm over time as the city's popularity rises.

The Dallas suburb has experienced an explosive growth of 17.3 percent since 2020, according to the study. An earlier U.S. Census report also confirmed Little Elm's skyrocketing population growth.

Burleson, less than 16 miles south from Fort Worth, comes in at No. 9. This suburb's housing prices are far lower than Little Elm's, at $318,568. According to the study, Burleson residents are paying much less than most Americans, which allows residents to spend more while enjoying the best parts of living near Fort Worth.

Burleson's population growth rate was 11.2 percent as of 2020, the report said. The city's rapid expansion and rich history may also be a draw for new residents.

"Burleson struggled during the Great Depression, maintaining a population of just a few hundred," the report said. "Today, the jobs and people are back in droves. Burleson’s grown from just over 46,000 residents in 2017 to more than 53,000 today."

The north Austin suburb of Georgetown took the lead as the No. 1 fastest-growing suburb in the U.S., with research showing the city has had a 26.7 percent growth rate since 2020. Georgetown's average housing price is $453,376, a significantly higher cost than a home in either Dallas-Fort Worth suburb.

Overall, nine out of the top 20 suburbs in the report reside in Texas. Rockwall, 25 miles northeast of Dallas, just squeaked in No. 20, with a median home price of $447,866. But the report wonders if prices will stay low given its advantageous setting on Lake Ray Hubbard.

The top 10 fastest growing affordable American suburbs are:

No. 1 – Georgetown, Texas
No. 2 – Kyle, Texas
No. 3 – Leander, Texas
No. 4 – Little Elm, Texas
No. 5 – Westfield, Indiana
No. 6 – New Braunfels, Texas
No. 7 – Maricopa, Arizona
No. 8 – Buckeye, Arizona
No. 9 – Burleson, Texas
No. 10 – Conroe, Texas

The report defined a suburb as any "non-principal" city in a metropolitan area with a population of fewer than 100,000. Over 800 suburbs were examined based on 2020 and 2022 U.S. Census Bureau's population estimates, and narrowed down into the final 20. It also defined the "affordability" category by sorting cities with average home prices below $500,000 using the Zillow Home Value Index for single family homes. The cities were ultimately ranked based on their growth rates.

The full report can be found on movebuddha.com.

Texas A&M Transportation Institute

Booming Texas could be the most populated state by 2100, new study finds

Population swell

Dallas-Fort Worth could be the nation's biggest metro by 2100, and now a new report says Texas might be the most populous state by the next century.

The population study by moving experts moveBuddha estimates Texas will be home to nearly 96 million people by 2100, which amounts to a 213.8 percent population increase. The Lone Star State will far outshine California, which is currently the most populated state with more than 39 million people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Texas only crossed the 30 million population milestone in July 2022, so there's still quite some time to get to that near-100 million mark in 77 years.

Overall, the analysis says, Southern states are predicted to grow exponentially by the turn of the next century. Florida will follow right behind Texas as the second most populated state, with an estimated growth of nearly 68.5 million people. California is expected to fall into No. 3, with an estimated population of just under 50.4 million by 2100.

However, just as moveBuddha caveated Austin's local 2100 population estimate with the unknown effects of climate change and a general uncertainty to predict the future, the state-by-state report includes similar warnings.

"We don’t know how climate change will affect migration patterns, and we don’t know the effects of new technologies," the report says. "Many Americans are leaving large cities and cold-weather states for less congested places and warmer climates, especially for the winter months."

Additional factors that might contribute to future migration patterns include housing affordability, lower taxes, and the number of Baby Boomers who decide to retire over the next several decades. And in Texas, specifically, moveBuddha says, the state will have to develop more and better infrastructure to handle the anticipated growth.

"Large Texas metropolitan areas like Dallas, Austin, and Houston will have to build much more infrastructure and combat the same big-city problems like crime and expensive housing that have made Americans move from places like Chicago and New York City," the report says.

According to the report, the top 10 biggest states and their populations by 2100 will be:

No. 1 – Texas (95,699,438)
No. 2 – Florida (68,495,750)
No. 3 – California (50,394,266)
No. 4 – Georgia (23,904,874)
No. 5 – North Carolina (23,049,547)
No. 6 – New York (20,214,987)
No. 7 – Washington (19,301,336)
No. 8 – Arizona (18,516,915)
No. 9 – Colorado (14,640,993)
No. 10 – Virginia (14,400,363)

Population projections were calculated with Census data between 1910 and 2023, using an annual compound growth rate for all states to estimate the population growth by 2100.

The full report and its methodology can be found on movebuddha.com.

Getty Images/Courtney K

Dallas keeps movers on speed dial as No. 2 city for recent moves, says report

hi neighbor!

Dallas is shifting as people move into the city and around it. A new population analysis by online loan marketplace LendingTree has named Dallas the No. 2 metro for recent movers.

The study used population data from a 2021 U.S. Census Bureau survey to determine householders and renters who moved to their current home in 2019 or later. It reflects people moving around Dallas as well as moving into it, so it's not just new residents being counted.

About 35 percent of combined homeowners and renters living in their current Dallas homes moved there within the three-year scope of the study. For homeowners, that's about 19 percent, compared to about 59 percent of renters.

The three-year median home value appreciation rate in Dallas was 16.15 percent, the study says, echoing similar reports that the city remains one of the top housing markets for growth.

But other reports that are not looking at such longterm averages are showing that the market seems to be stabilizing recently. In August of 2023, Zillow reported home prices in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington dropped 1.4 percent from the previous year to $309,340.

Rent appreciation was not as dramatic, but renters are surely feeling it regardless. The data shows the three-year median gross rent appreciation rate was 8.49 percent.

Renters are much more likely than homeowners to move due to multiple factors: personal circumstances, rising rent prices, landlords who want to change their lease terms, and many others.

"While some regulations protect renters and make it harder for landlords to force them out of their homes, these protections aren’t always robust," the study says. "Because of this, renters can more frequently find themselves in situations where they’re forced to move, even if they like their current home or are strapped for cash."

Dallas fell right behind Austin, which saw nearly 39 percent of homeowners and renters moving between 2019 and 2021. Houston was the only other Texas city to make the top 10, ranking No. 7 with nearly 34 percent of homeowners and renters moving within the same time frame.

The U.S. metros with the largest shares of homeowners and renters who moved in 2019 or later are:

No. 1 – Austin, Texas (38.82 percent)
No. 2 – Dallas, Texas (34.91 percent)
No. 3 – Las Vegas, Nevada (34.81 percent)
No. 4 – Denver, Colorado (34.71 percent)
No. 5 – Orlando, Florida (34.55 percent)
No. 6 – Phoenix, Arizona (34.03 percent)
No. 7 – Houston, Texas (33.50 percent)
No. 8 – Jacksonville, Florida (33.27 percent)
No. 9 – Nashville, Tennessee (33.14 percent)
No. 10 – Salt Lake City, Utah (32.94 percent)

The full report can be found on lendingtree.com.

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

Magnetic Texas pulls in ranking as No. 2 state for wealthy new residents

rich population migration

Not only has Texas' population exploded with new residents in recent years, but it's been a hot spot for high-income households on the move. A new report says Texas has added more wealthy new residents than any other state but Florida.

According to SmartAsset's 2023 study "Where High Earners Are Moving," 22,751 households who moved into Texas between 2020 and 2021 filed tax returns with a minimum adjusted gross income of $200,000 (the figure defined as "high earner" in the report). In that same time frame, 13,743 high-earning taxpayers moved out of state.

This resulted in Texas seeing the second-highest influx of wealthy newcomers in the U.S., totaling 9,008.

It's worth noting that 2020-2021 were the years most impacted by the pandemic and its economic, health, and lifestyle after-effects.

"Despite cost of living challenges, the number of high-earning American households continues to grow," the report's author said. "In 2021, 8.68 million tax returns indicated annual earnings exceeding $200,000 – up from 8.57 million returns just a year earlier. The migration of these high-earning households can have significant effects on a state’s tax base and finances."

Texas hung on to its No. 2 rank for the second consecutive year from SmartAsset's 2022 report, which accounted for the tax year between 2019 and 2020. At the time, the state had an inflow of more than 18,400 high-earning households, and an outflow of over 13,000.

Florida was the only state to outrank Texas for two years in a row with the highest migration of wealthy new taxpayers. Florida's 2023 net migration amounted to 27,567 households that earn over $200,000 a year.

Meanwhile, California and New York lost the most high-earning households in 2021.

"While these states had the largest net outflows of high earners in 2021, they still maintain some of the nation’s highest percentages of high-earning households," the report said. "In fact, at least 7.2 percent of the tax base in each of these states earn $200,000 or more per year."

With its lower housing, rent, and living costs - and no state income tax - Texas continues to attract new residents from out of state. All indications are that the population of Texas, and Dallas-Fort Worth, will continue to swell.

The top 10 states with the highest net migration of high-earning households are:

No. 1 – Florida (27,567)
No. 2 – Texas (9,008)
No. 3 – North Carolina (5,446)
No. 4 – Arizona (4,563)
No. 5 – South Carolina (4,510)
No. 6 – Tennessee (3,917)
No. 7 – Nevada (2,785)
No. 8 – Idaho (2,315)
No. 9 – Colorado (2,052)
No. 10 – Utah (1,752)

SmartAsset determined their rankings using IRS data from 2020 to 2021 from tax-filers reporting an adjusted gross income of $200,000 or more and moved in or out of a state.

The full report can be found on smartasset.com.

Photo by Erin Hervey on Unsplash

Dallas-Fort Worth population headed toward jaw-dropping milestone by 2028

Population boom

Dallas drivers, prepare to share the roads with nearly a million more people. A new analysis predicts Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington's population could cross the 8 million threshold in the next five years, swelling to nearly 8.5 million total residents.

According to a new study by Site Selection Group, the Metroplex is tracking as the fifth fastest-growing large metro area in the country by 2028. DFW's 2023 population adds up to 7.8 million people, and the area has a projected population growth rate of 8.64 percent.

To be precise, the analysis forecasts DFW's population as 8,479,851 in 2028.

The new report comes on the heels of a recent survey predicting DFW could become the biggest metro area by the year 2100. Another recent report declared Dallas has usurped Austin as the No. 1 destination for California movers.

A continued population boom seems inevitable.

"Most population growth is occurring across the Sun Belt," the Site Selection Group report's author says. "Specific to the large metro areas, eight of the top 10 growth markets are located within the Sun Belt [such as] Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas."

The report was used to determine the American metro areas that will have the most "favorable long-term labor conditions." Each metro area was categorized into one of three groups based on overall population size: large (over 1 million people), mid-size (between 500,000 and 999,999 people), and small (between 250,000 and 499,999 people).

"Although population growth does not guarantee success with hiring and retaining employees, it does provide validation that labor conditions could be trending in a more favorable direction," the report says.

Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land landed at the top of the list for the predicted fastest growing large metro areas. Austin's population could climb to over 2.7 million residents with a 13.55 percent growth rate, and Houston could expand 9.62 percent to over 8 million people by 2028.

The top 10 fastest-growing large metro areas by 2028 are:

No. 1 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown
No. 2 – Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land
No. 3 – Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tennessee
No. 4 – Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
No. 5 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
No. 6 – Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
No. 7 – Salt Lake City, Utah
No. 8 – Charlotte-Concord-Castonia, North Carolina-South Carolina
No. 9 – Jacksonville, Florida
No. 10 – Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington

Ad Placement 300x100

Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Property Showcase

Universal theme park in Frisco will be a first-of-its-kind Kids Resort

Theme Park News

The big splashy theme park coming to Frisco has a name and identity: Called Universal Kids Resort, it's from Universal Destinations & Experiences, a division of Comcast NBCUniversal, and is the company's first-ever theme park designed specifically for families with young children.

Previously described as a "family-friendly" concept, it's doubling down on the "kids" element, vowing to bring an innovative style of storytelling to a new, younger audience. So, more Disney-ish.

According to a release, Universal Kids Resort will include a theme park featuring immersive themed lands that bring Universal's characters and stories to life in ways that will wow the youngest theme parkgoers.

It will feature family-friendly attractions, interactive and playful shows, unique merchandise, fun food and beverage venues, and character meet & greets.

A resort area will include a 300-room themed hotel, giving families a place to stay and to play.

"Universal Kids Resort will inspire the unbridled creativity of kids through imagination, discovery and most importantly – play," says Universal Creative president Molly Murphy in a statement. "We're designing the resort so kids and families can feel the thrill of being physically immersed in their most beloved stories and characters."

It'll be set in green landscape with a distinctive look, feel, and scale specifically for younger kids. Progress on the new concept is underway, following a groundbreaking in November. With more details about Universal Kids Resort to come.

Crooner Michael Bublé to make appearance in Dallas for his new whiskey

Less burn, more Bublé

Crooner Michael Bublé has made a career using his voice to enchant millions of fans, but he'll be using his voice in a different way when he stops in Dallas on December 6 in support of a new whiskey he's released.

Called Fraser & Thompson, it's a North American whiskey launched in 2023 by Bublé and his partner Paul Cirka, a Master Distiller and Blender with a goal to create an aromatic and approachable new-to-world whiskey.

Bublé will be at Spec’s Wines & Spirits at 9500 N. Central Expwy. on December 6 from 4-5 pm.

According to a release, he’ll be at the brand’s "Easy, Now" lounge experience (IE, the events space at Spec's), where consumers over 21 can try samples.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early in order to ensure they are able to meet Bublé during the allotted time.

Retailing for $29.99 with the catch phrase, "Less burn, more Bublé," the whiskey is so new that its website is still under construction.

The release describes it as having sweet fig and blood orange on the nose, with a subtle finish of caramel, vanilla, and a hint of spice.

“Michael and I bonded over our shared passion for whisky, and wanted to create a blend that was flavorful but more light-hearted than the category at large can be known for," says Fraser & Thompson co-founder Cirka.

According to Bublé, the name Fraser Thompson references a location in his hometown Canada.

"I spent many summers with my grandfather at the confluence of the Fraser and Thompson rivers in British Columbia," Bublé says. "When I heard Paul’s vision for creating a new kind of whiskey, I knew instantly what I wanted to call it. For the last three years, we worked together to perfect a whiskey blend that is equally elegant and approachable."

Bublé, of course, is doing just fine, even before making the jump into the celebrity liquor game. He's released 11 albums in his 20+ year singing career, selling millions of albums and almost singlehandedly reviving the jazz standards genre.

He's also not new to the beverage world, having partnered with Pepsi on a series of amusing commercials for their Bubly sparkling water.

2 freeway shutdowns this weekend in northeast Dallas of I-635 and US-75

Freeway News

Drivers in northeast Dallas, take note: A portion of I-635 will be closed in all directions and it's happening this weekend.

As part of the continuous I-635E improvement project, there will be major impacts to traffic on the interstate and cross streets throughout this weekend.

All lanes along eastbound and westbound I-635E between Abrams Road and Forest Lane will be closed beginning Saturday evening, December 2 at 8 pm through Sunday morning, December 3 at 12 pm.

Drivers will be detoured to the frontage roads to access the next available entrance ramp onto the mainlanes.

Both directions of Abrams Road and Forest Lane cross street bridges at I-635E will be closed during this time, as well.

Traffic will be detoured through the alternate streets: Abrams Road, Audelia Road, Royal Lane, and Walnut Street.

All lanes along Markville Drive at the eastbound I-635 frontage road will also be closed. Drivers will be detoured to Greenville Avenue and Royal Lane to access the next entrance ramp.

Drivers should expect delays, seek alternate routes or plan for extra travel time. All scheduled work and closures are subject to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

US 75 closure
In the same weekend, all lanes of southbound US 75 will be closed at the I-635 junction on Saturday, December 3 at 9 pm until Monday, December 4 at 5 am, for a sign maintenance project. Traffic can detour onto the southbound US 75 frontage road to go around this closure. There will still be access to I-635 during this time. Plan ahead for extra travel time or seek an alternate route.

For additional information related to the 635 East Project, visit www.635east.com.

View All Listings